May 18, 1999

Wetland mitigation rarely works

SALEM, Ore. (AP) -- Despite Oregon's efforts to preserve wetlands, a new pair of studies says not only are they disappearing faster than they're being created, artificial ones don't work as well as the natural marshes they are designed to replace. Once considered worthless real estate, wetlands now are valued as prime habitat for birds, rare plants, amphibians and other animals. They also act like living sponges, soaking up floodwater, filtering out impurities and providing lush green spaces. To halt their destruction, state and federal policies require that anyone draining or filling wetlands -- to build a house or a shopping center -- must replace them elsewhere, a process called mitigation. Sometimes a developer builds a pond on the site, or might flood farmland to bring back waterfowl, willows and rushes. But the new studies shows that the man-made marshes are a poor replacement for the 6,877 acres of wetlands lost in the Willamette Valley alone between 1982 and 1994. Too often, the constructed wetlands resemble simple ponds than the rich, dense mix of soil, plants and animals found in natural wetlands. A typical mitigation wetland might have a mechanical fountain, nicely groomed grass and landscaped plants - pleasing to the eye, perhaps, but not so friendly to the environment. On paper, Oregon isn't losing wetlands. Developers must apply to the Division of State Lands and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for a joint permit to fill wetlands. The agencies issue the permit only after approving a mitigation plan. The two cancel out -- in theory. For that reason, the Oregon Progress Board gives the state an "A" in maintaining wetlands in its annual report. But regulators at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Corvallis research lab suspected that losses occur anyway and undertook a study to learn the true picture. Using aerial photos of 114 square-mile sample plots in the Willamette Valley, researchers mapped changes in vegetation between 1982 and 1994. The results: The Willamette Valley lost an average 546 acres of wetlands per year from 1982 to 1994. Conversion to farming accounted for most of the changes, followed by development and forestry. While Janet Morlan, wetlands program leader for the Division of State Lands, noted that the rate of wetland loss may have slowed in recent years due to regulation, but not enough to reverse the trend. "We know there's a number of things we do not regulate," Morlan said. "There are violations we never find out about." Instead of relying on man-made models to replace wetlands, developers should avoid destroying them in the first place, said Julie Sibbing, assistant director for wetlands and wildlife refuge policy for the National Audubon Society in Washington D.C. "Mitigation's supposed to be a last option," she said. "But it seems the government agencies are relying more and more on mitigation, which we don't think is workable."

Hart Crowser grows in Northeast

SEATTLE -- Hart Crowser, an environmental consulting and remediation design firm, reports that growth in its Chicago and Jersey City offices has dictated that both move to new locations. The growth is based on increasing business in remediation of contaminated port sediments, plus expansion into new regional markets like coastal engineering, industrial and brownfield development. For office locations, contact Philip Spadaro in the Seattle office, (206) 324-9530.

Genetic engineering marks dioxins

ERIE, Pa. (AP) -- Presque Isle Bay is peppered with poisons, and researchers are using genes from fireflies to find out just how bad things are. John P. Vanden Heuvel, a researcher at Penn State University, is measuring levels of dioxin and its chemical cousins in the bay off northwestern Pennsylvania. The poisons can kill fish and water plants. Vanden Heuvel is applying genetic technology developed by Columbia Analytical Systems of Kelso, Wash. The technology employs a genetically engineered compound derived from fireflies, which glows when exposed to dioxins. The procedure is used on samples of dirt from the bottom of the bay. "The more dioxin you have, the more glow you get," Vanden Heuvel said. "What is really good is (that) it will work for anything that acts like a dioxin." Less sophisticated tests might only pick up dioxin and not the hundreds of chemicals that resemble dioxin. Dioxin is a byproduct in the manufacture of herbicides, pesticides, pulp and paper. Two sites in the bay, the East Slip and Misery Bay, have extremely high levels of poisons, Vanden Heuvel said. Last week, the Presque Isle Bay Advisory Committee said more study of the bay is needed. Vanden Heuvel will be performing more tests this summer and said the firefly method will be a more effective way of assessing the bay's health. Jon Savelle is the Journal's environment editor.

Magna Design

Magna Design of Lynnwood has added Brad S. Shank as chief financial officer. He is a CPA who has been controller of a business graphics firm for the past seven years. Magna Design is a designer and manufacturer of office furniture systems.

Holaday-Parks

Seattle's Holaday-Parks has made several additions and promotions. John Gray and Andy Papadatos have joined the company's design/build engineering division as project engineers, Perry Christian and David Price are the company's newest CAD professionals, Erik Frederickson has become the CAD group manager, and Dan Connell was promoted to project manager. Gray was most recently with the Boeing Co. in the facilities resource engineering group, working with steam condensate systems, chilled water plants and other projects. Papadatos previously created greenhouse designs for Boullion. Both are now working on the Schnitzer Corporate Campus in Bothell. Connell is managing the Laguna South/Allied Signal office building project in Redmond.

Ryan

The Steelcraft Construction division of Ryan General Contractors has received an award from Butler Manufacturing for reaching the $5 million mark in sales of Butler's pre-engineered metal buildings. Ryan is based in Woodinville.

May 17, 1999

Paccar

Paccar, a Bellevue-based designer and manufacturer of light, medium and heavy-duty trucks, recently appointed Edward B. Caudill, Nicholas P. Panza and James G. Cardillo vice presidents. Caudill formerly served as vice president of purchasing and general manager of Paccar parts. Panza formerly served as general manager of Peterbilt, a division of Paccar. Cardillo formerly served at DAF Trucks, a division of Paccar Inc.

May 14, 1999

Tarragon Development

Roger Koodoo has joined Tarragon, a Seattle-based developer, as project manager. He previously worked for Cascadia Development in Vancouver, B.C., and brings more than 11 years of architectural and development experience in residential and commercial development.